| 29 April 2005 | Friday | 19 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1426 |
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Settling Kashmir issue
Stolen cellphones
Clifton Cross
Tsunami relief
Causing misery
Messing with car market
Waiting for ID cards
Wrong spirit
A people with two faces
Jetty for small fishermen
Inflation is back
THIS week marks the 75th anniversary of an unprecedented yet almost entirely unknown event in the history of non-violent resistance. In the main square of the city of Peshawar, several hundred non-violent Pashtun resisters were shot and killed by British-led troops as they peacefully protested against the arrest of their leader, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, known as Badshah Khan to his followers.
Badshah Khan was born in 1890, a member of a wealthy and aristocratic Pashtun family. Educated and inspired by British missionaries, he began opening schools among the impoverished Pashtun villagers of the Frontier Province while still in his early 20s. In 1919, he led demonstrations against British rule and was imprisoned for sedition for three years in unusually harsh conditions that almost broke his health. Undeterred, he continued devoting himself to education and reform work among the Pashtun, and claimed to have personally visited all of the several hundreds of Pashtun villages in the province.
Badshah Khan claimed to draw his non-violence directly from Islam. “There is nothing surprising in a Muslim or a Pashtun like me subscribing to the creed of non-violence,” he wrote. “It is not a new creed. It was followed 1,400 years ago by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) all the time he was in Mecca, but we had so far forgotten that when Gandhi placed it before us, we thought he was sponsoring a novel creed.”
In the late 20s, Khan performed a “chilla”, a long period of fasting and meditation, and came up with the idea of a “non-violent army” of Pashtun tribesman who would renounce violence and the code of revenge deeply embedded in Pashtun society. They wore red military uniforms (and were called “Red Shirts”), took an oath foreswearing violence, retaliation and revenge, formed regiments, trained and drilled, and devoted themselves to village uplift, education and reform.
In March, 1930, Gandhi launched his famous “Salt Satyagraha” civil disobedience movement across India. On April 23, a mass demonstration filled the main square of Peshawar to protest against Badshah Khan’s arrest. In a moment of panic, British-led troops began firing into the crowd. In his study of non-violence Gene Sharp, formerly of Harvard University’s Centre for International Affairs, describes the scene: “When those in front fell down wounded by the shots, those behind came forward with their breasts bared and exposed themselves to the fire… one after another, and when they fell wounded they were dragged back and others came forward to be shot at.” The firing lasted several hours and an estimated two to three hundred Pashtun were killed.
The government declared martial law, sealed the borders and unleashed a campaign of violent repression. Khidmatgars were stripped and humiliated in public (shades of Abu Ghraib), flogged, made to run gauntlets. Some Khudai Khidmatgars chose suicide rather than suffer humiliation or break their vows of non-violence. Their lands were confiscated, their crops destroyed; villages were blockaded. The repression lasted two years, but Khan’s unlikely “army” — numbering upwards of 100,000 at its height — remained non-violent.
In his biography of Badshah Khan, “Non-violent Soldier of Islam” (Nilgiri Press, 1995, Penguin India, 2002), Eknath Easwaran writes: “Badshah Khan based his life and work on the profound principle of non-violence, raising an army of courageous men and women who translated it into action. Were his example better known, the world might come to recognize that the highest religious values of Islam are deeply compatible with a non-violence that has the power to resolve conflicts even against heavy odds.”
In 1985 he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and died at his home near Peshawar in 1988, at the age of 98.
Tim Flinders
California, USA
IN “Settling Kashmir issue” (April 21) Dr Mubashir Hassan proposes a “win-win solution” which, in essence, solidifies India’s unjustified hold on Jammu and Kashmir. The cause of justice cannot be served by finding ways to justify an unjust act. India has committed an aggression through its military occupation of Jammu & Kashmir since 1947. The only just solution would be to undo that aggression.
Rather than conceiving novel ideas to justify the aggressor’s aggression, the learned Dr Hassan could enhance the cause of peace and prosperity in South Asia by developing proposals on how to enable Pakistan to acquire greater economic and technological strength at a faster speed.
Only the moral and material strength of a smaller nation can help it undo and deter aggression from a larger neighbour. The development of Pakistan’s nuclear capability on a self-help basis has discouraged India to wage any further aggression. If Pakistan, sometimes in the future, attains economic and military strength that enables it to capture Jammu and Kashmir at a minimum cost, then India would itself be worried into offering a solution, and would seek a way out of Jammu and Kashmir.
Our intellectuals could render much greater service to the nation if they concentrated on developing proposals for building up a stronger and more prosperous Pakistan.
HUMAYUN ZAFAR
Toronto, Canada
I REFER to the letter of Syed A. Mateen (April 20), and would like to clarify that the process of reporting an incident of snatched / stolen cellphone is not as cumbersome as described by the correspondent. I agree that cellular phone companies should have had a system of monitoring IMEI numbers right from the beginning. However, the companies are now fully cooperating with their subscribers by shutting off stolen cellphones by blocking the SIM after proper verification.
In order to control this problem, it is imperative that all incidents should be reported to the police on their helpline Madadgar-15 or the CPLC on its helpline 5682222 with IMEI / ESN numbers. As regards the correspondent’s observation that there is no need to involve Madadgar-15 or the CPLC for registering such complaints, we would like to draw his attention towards the fact that the CPLC was the first organization to initiate the proposal to preserve and record IMEI and ESN numbers of stolen / snatched cell phones.
Moreover, it has developed a software to store the data of cellphones on the same pattern as it is maintaining a database of hijacked, stolen and recovered vehicles and sharing information with the police and other law-enforcement agencies.
The CPLC right from its inception is doing community policing by providing assistance to the victims of crimes and citizens in distress. It also assists the police by providing them technical assistance and expertise in dealing with heinous crimes like murder, kidnapping for ransom and extortion.
SHARFUDDIN MEMON
Chief, CPLC-CRC Karachi
THIS refers to “The Clifton Cross: a complete mess” (April 24) by Mr Ardeshir Cowasjee. He has vividly described the disaster that is coming up on the Clifton road. The proposed underpass, apart from being very inconvenient and almost non-negotiable will not reduce traffic pressure in the relevant area. As has been pointed out, NESPAK can still rescue this doomed project and provide a three-tier design that will serve all users.
Let us not be a party to the blunder that has been foisted on us. The governor of Sindh should immediately act. If he does not, let us, the citizens, go to him in a strong and effective group. And if corrective action is still not forthcoming, then let us appeal effectively in force to General Pervez Musharraf. We hope that the latter will intervene. If he does not, then we should adopt the desperate course of physically blocking the work and compelling action, donating what we can to revamp the project. Otherwise the suffering caused will not be confined to the present alone. Generations after us will condemn and mourn this monumental stupidity.
Recalling how this blunder was thrust upon the people, where was the need for the corps commander to preside at the meeting concerning this project? It was none of his business. But it indeed was the business of City Nazim Naimatullah Khan, under whose overall superintendence this project should have been formulated. The citizens should have been consulted too by displaying drawings of the proposed works and inviting their comments.
This kind of mess is what we get if we abolish time-tested institutions. Let us promptly act.
ABDUL KARIM LODHI
Karachi
THIS refers to numerous news items regarding the December tsunami catastrophe which severely hit some of the Indian Ocean countries. The encouraging fact is that the peoples of the affected countries were not left unassisted by the international community. We learned about the efforts of the Pakistan Navy rescuing people in the Maldives and providing quick medical aid. Some 300 lives were saved by Pakistani naval personnel.
Russia also made a quick response to the disaster and sent rescuers and doctors as well as tons of foodstuff, tents and medical supplies to the affected areas in Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka just hours after the tsunami.
The Russian government responded positively to the UN secretary-general’s call to contribute around US$970 million urgently needed for rehabilitation purposes by 12 affected countries. Russia contributed US$30 million channelled to the World Food Programme, World Health Organization and Unicef.
It is worth mentioning that this amount constitutes 0.2 per cent of the Russian annual defence budget, and is even higher than contributions made by some other countries having much more defence expenditures.
Currently the main objective is to professionally coordinate all rehabilitation efforts in the region to overcome the after-effects of the calamity as soon as possible. This task can and must be done only by the United Nations.
OLEG DZHURAEV
First Secretary,
Embassy of Russia, Islamabad
BOTH the prime minister and the Punjab chief minister cited the inconvenience that might be caused to citizens at large as the main reason for refusing to allow the PPP to take Mr Asif Zardari in a procession from Lahore airport to Bilawal House II.
The reasoning is understandable but what about the misery caused to the citizens when the president, the prime minister and governors and chief ministers are on the the move?
Then as if not be to left out we have religious zealots who take out procession after procession for day in and day out throughout the year.
SALIM D. DADABHOY
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the letter “Messing with the car market” (March 14) by Ms Anushka Syed.
Ms Syed claims in his letter that buyers have to pay the differentials in price revision if a newer model with enhanced specifications is introduced by the manufacturer after the booking of a car by the buyers; and buyers of cars booked prior to the price revision are only charged 50 per cent of the extra amount.
Well, the factual position as well as my personal experience is exactly the opposite of what has been stated by Ms Syed.
I had booked a car in November 2004 (relationship No. 102 004405). The company failed to deliver the booked car within the stipulated waiting period of two months, i.e., by the end of January 2005.
In the meanwhile, the manufacturer increased the price of the car with effect from Feb 1 by as much as Rs39,500. This price hike was made for the existing model without the introduction of a newer model with enhanced specifications.
I was forced to pay 100 per cent of the differential before taking delivery of the car in February which was booked in November last year, and not the 50 per cent of the extra amount as claimed by the correspondent.
M. ASRAF MALIK
Wah Cantonment
THIS refers to Mr Faiz Ali’s concern about his NICOP card (letter, April 8). The application of Mr Faiz Ali (form No: JD00005266) was held up at verification due to a difference in the date of birth given in the application and that in the Nadra record.
However, as the difference was minor, the national swift registration centre (NSRC), Jeddah, sent the case for printing on April 17, and a card will be shortly dispatched to the consulate-general of Pakistan in Jeddah for delivery to the applicant.
MEDIA WING (NADRA)
Islamabad
THE Metropolitan section of Dawn (April 22) carried a picture and a news item that makes one lose all hope for the faithful. A man was drinking water from a “sabeel” in a mosque. The “namazis” suspected that he was stealing the tap.
Who says there’s no swift justice in our country? The pious worshippers beat up the 60-year-old man in no time, tore up his clothes, took the Rs400 he had on his person and tied him to a pillar.
Faisal Edhi was not allowed to intervene. The man fainted and was finally taken down by the police hours later.
MRS R. GHAYUR
Karachi
THIS is with reference to Mr Hafizur Rahman’s article “A people with two faces” (April 27).
He says: “You cannot beat these women’s pages for hypocrisy.” The reason for his anger is that these magazines contain lessons in simple living while at the same time glorifying working women, and carrying interview of modelling girls and parlour hands giving beauty tips. What is wrong with that?
He forgets that the press — all its faults notwithstanding — presents society as it is.
Today we have all sorts of women in our society — those living in stone age, those working in films and TV, some are research scholars, university professors, ambassadors, parliamentarians, judges, doctors, engineers, pilots and CEOs. “Working women” does not mean fancy jobs; there are Pakistani women who work in fields, and there are factory hands. If there are doctors, there are also nurses.
There are women who earn a living by preaching at neighbourhood level; others preach to chauffeur-driven, hijab- wearing begums at five-star hotels.
There are families where women themselves feel women should stay home, while there are families in which one daughter is an airhostess, another a doctor and another a media person. Girls are on night shifts at check-in counters at airports and as gun- carrying uniformed security women who have had commando training.
There are girls who are married to men whom they never saw before, while there are girls who just give notice to their father — and of course in English, “Well, look dad, be reasonable. I love him and I’m gonna marry him. Just fix the wedding date”.
Between the two extremes the’re also moderates, and of all shades. A majority of Pakistani middle-class women have moderate views.
What Nehru said of India is true of Pakistan — from stone age to nuclear age, every century is represented in this country. Pakistan is a society in transition, and these “contradictions” and “hypocrisy” will continue.
Even in highly developed societies, all women do not think alike, all European and America women do not go to work, all women are not promiscuous, many have utter contempt for bikinis and topless waitresses, and many consider viewing films a sin.
RIZWAN YASSIN
Karachi
THE Karachi fish harbour was established in 1947. Ever since, no provision has been made to help small fishermen. The harbour facilitates only big boats which are normally not owned by poor fishermen, whereas thousands of small fishermen belonging to small villages and islands in Keamari and Lyari towns have no access to this facility since no jetty caters to small and medium size boats.
More than 2,000 small and medium boat owners and small fishermen of Baba Island, Bhit Island, Shams Pir Island, Kaka Pir village, Khada market, Soomar Goth and other villages are deprived of a landing point for their fish catch.
The Morero Mirbehar Tehrik, an alliance of fisherfolk of Sindh and Balochistan, took up this issue with the authorities concerned, such as the Fishermen Cooperative Society and the Fish Harbour Authority but it yielded no result. Poor fishermen have been struggling for their rights since years but their voice goes unheard.
The cooperative society has been without a chairman and vice-chairman since the elections last held in August 2004. A decision regarding filling these posts should be taken immediately.
On behalf of the Morero Mirbehar Tehrik I want to draw the attention of the president of Pakistan for help in getting small fishermen long overdue rights and a jetty for them at the harbour.
ZUBAIDA BIRWANI
Karachi
THIS is with reference to Dr Muhammad Zubair Khan’s article “Menace of inflation is back” (March 21) in which he pointed out the reasons and shortcomings of the State Bank due to which inflation had risen.
That the consumer price index climbed to 10 per cent in February is a worrying factor for the middle class and the poor who have been dreaming about a good life for many, many years. How long will our government give us hope by claiming that everything is green and beautiful?
It is about time the government stopped talking about the positive macroeconomic indicators. If they are so positive, then why are prices of food items and other utilities going out of the reach of the common citizen? We have been listening to the positive side of our economy for many years but the hardships of the average man continue and are increasing every day.
Power failure is frequent, the sewerage problem remains unchecked and there is lack of clean drinking water. People do not expect luxury in their lives, but can’t they expect to be provided with at least the basic necessities of life?
FAWAD F. HIRANI
Karachi
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